A look at 3 unsolved Gwinnett murder cases

On May 1, 2008, Eva "Kay" Wenal was found in a pool of blood in her Duluth home. Her husband, a prominent building developer, found her body. Out on the counter was some food that she had apparently set out to be microwaved. A book was found face down on her coffee table, just as any of us might if we were reading a book and needed to set it down in a hurry. Eva Kay Wenal's husband is not a suspect. Speculation stirs about why Eva "Kay" Wenal would be so brutally murdered. She seemed to be so well-liked by everyone who knew her. But police said there were some elements of overkill in the murder, so they think her murderer is someone who knew Mrs. Wenal and her routine well. The murder case of Kay Wenal was covered in further detail by me in May of 2009.

In January of 2009, Beulah Gotwalt, an 88-year-old great-grandmother, was found stabbed to death in her own bed, a pillow covering her face. There was no sign of forced entry to the home on Oak Meadow Drive in Snellville. Beulah lived with her daughter and son-in-law. Her daughter discovered her body around noon that day. A neighbor said that teenagers were constantly coming and going from the home."There was no forced entry into the home," said Captain H.O. Thomas of the Snellville Police in January. "We are looking at several persons of interest but are not releasing the names at this time."

In April of 2009, a young mother named Heather Allen Strube was gunned down immediately after meeting her ex-husband for a child custody swap. They regularly met at the Snellville Target parking lot. Witnesses told police that after Heather's ex-husband drove off, someone in a dark, bushy wig approached Heather near her vehicle and they had a heated exchange. A short scuffle occurred, then Heather was shot in the head by her assailant. The shooter took off through the parking lot and went around the side of the Target building. Heather Strube's husband is currently being held in the Newton County Jail on a parole violation. Heather Strube's former mother-in-law, Joanna Hayes - has been questioned by police. She has been named as the main suspect, but Snellville Police investigators are waiting for all the evidence results from the GBI. Joanna Hayes has taken a VLA (Voice Layered Analysis) and the results say she is innocent. Joanna Hayes has been asked to take a more official polygraph test, and Hayes has said she's thinking about it.